Hoping For A Better Future
by Aisha the Ape Lover
Summary: The Rangers' ages have been restored, and Aisha is living in Africa, with Tanya Sloan serving as the Yellow Zeo Ranger. But is she truly happy with her decision?
1. Chapter One

Hoping For A Better Future  
Chapter One  
  
Aisha Campbell walked into her house, taking her time getting to the kitchen. Time had fixed itself, but everything was different. She was living in Africa, as if it were her real home. Instead of her, Tanya Sloan was the Yellow Ranger. She still remembered her Ranger past, but only her friends in California did too.  
She entered the kitchen to see her mother cooking dinner.  
"Aisha. You're home, good. Someone called for you," she greeted, looking up from her cooking.  
"Who?" Aisha replied, peering over the older woman's shoulder to see the craft.  
"I believe someone by the name of Kimberly. Sound familiar?"  
Aisha looked to the ground. Of course it was familiar, Kimberly Hart was only her best friend and former fellow Ranger. But her mother didn't know that. "Not really, but I'll call her back anyway."  
"Alright. The number's on the table."  
"Thanks." Aisha walked over to the kitchen table and picked up the small piece of paper with Kimberly's name and number on it. The number was only a little familiar, but that was because it was her Florida number, something she'd only known for the past six months or so. She bounded up to her room, joyous about finally talking to one of her friends. She enetered the medium-sized area and sat down on the bed. She reached for the phone and dialed the number written on the paper. The phone rung once, twice, three times and someone answered.  
"Hello?" asked a female voice.  
"Kim?" Aisha replied, recognizing the voice almost immeadiately.  
"Aisha! It's been a while since we've talked. I tried calling earlier. Where were you?"  
"I was out at the village's vet. There were some animals there and he needed some help taking care of them."  
"Wow. Tommy wasn't kidding when he said that you had stayed in Africa to help the animals."  
"No, I'm afraid he wasn't. So, how are you two doing anyway? Everything okay?"  
Kim sighed. "Well, we don't talk as much, but I should've assumed that. With the Machine Empire attacking so much and me training so much for the Games, we rarely have the chance to talk."  
"Poor thing. I'm just glad I didn't have a relationship going on in Angel Grove before I left."  
"Or before all that chaos happened."  
"Yeah. I wonder how the others are taking it. You know, me staying in Africa like that. It was kind of unexpected. I didn't even tell them, the only way you guys probably know is either Zordon or Tanya."  
"I'm sure Rocky was surprised. He's probably the lonelinest guy in the world right now."  
"Probably.... Hey! What are you trying to get at?"  
"It was obvious that he liked you, but my question is, do you like him?"  
The former Yellow Ranger looked to the floor. Like him? Hmmm... Let me see here. Duh! I've always had a crush on Rocky DeSantos. Even when we were growing up, it was always the same. But I never told him. Guess there's no chance at us now, at least until I finish high school, and then it might be too late.  
"Yeah. I like him."  
"Knew it!"  
"I'm sure, genius."  
"Oh hush. So, do ya think there's anyway we can haul your butt up to America long enough to get a relationship started between you two?"  
"None that I can think of."  
"Okay. Well, I'll let you go cause I know international rates can kill."  
"Alright. Talk to ya later, Kim."  
"Bye."  
"Bye."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Rocky DeSantos cried onto his pillow as more thoughts of his friend rushed back to him. Times he'd nearly forgotten in all of the chaos he'd been through recently. Her bright smile when all seemed lost and her comforting words at the times of despair.  
"Damn that Mastervile. Where the hell does he come off thinking he can reverse our ages and cause Aisha to stay in Africa?" he muttered.  
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.  
"Yeah," Rocky beckoned.  
The door slowly creaked open. It revealed the newly-donned Green Zeo Ranger, Adam Park, Rocky's best friend. Rocky looked up and wiped the tears from his eyes. His friend sat down on the bed next to him with a look of concern.  
"Rock? You alright man?" Adam asked.  
Rocky glared at his friend. "No. Aisha's gone, and I'm probably never gonna see her again."  
"You can visit her after we've graduated, it's not that far away. I mean, no one ever said that we'd never see our best friend again."  
"No one had too, Adam. She's probably gonna be too busy out there to even think about seeing us. You know that as well as I do."  
"Actually, I don't know that. But, I do know that we have a city save. Mondo just attacked, and it's trouble. We're probably gonna need the Megazord, and we can't have the Megazord without the Blue Zeo Zord."  
"Yeah yeah."  
Rocky got up from the bed and looked to Adam. "Morph here, or at the Command Center?"  
"Here. Since there's no one home and your window's closed, no harm in doing it."  
"Right." Rocky flipped his wrists, causing his Zeonizers to appear. "Zeo Ranger III - Blue!"  
In a matter of seconds, he was transformed into the Blue Zeo Ranger. Adam nodded and turned away from his friend. He flipped his wrists and his Zeonizers appeared.  
"Zeo Ranger IV - Green!"  
After giving out his calling, he transformed into the Green Zeo Ranger. The two friends exchanged a glance them teleported to the Command Center. 


	2. Chapter Two

Hoping For A Better Future  
Chapter Two  
  
"WELL DONE RANGERS," Zordon welcomed as the five Zeo Rangers teleported into the Power Chamber. "YOU HAVE SAVED ANGEL GROVE, AND THE WORLD, FROM THE PUPPETMAN. BUT, THE MACHINE EMPIRE WILL STRIKE BACK, I'M AFRAID."  
"We know Zordon. Like you've said before, the Machine Empire is a formidable enemy, and a very persistant one at that," Tommy, the Red Zeo Ranger, replied.  
"THAT IS CORRECT, TOMMY," Zordon said with a chuckle.  
Admist all the talking, no one noticed Rocky's silence. It was unusual for him, for he was usually an animated character, but today his demeanor was solemn.  
Rocky sighed and leaned against one of the consoles in the Power Chamber. He looked around, mentally comparing it to the Command Center that was destroyed not too long ago. In all his thoughts, he didn't notice Adam walk up to him.  
"Rocky?" he asked, timidly setting a hand on his friend's shoulder.  
"Huh? Oh, hey Adam."  
"You okay?"  
Rocky sighed. "I was just thinking about Aisha again."  
"We all miss her, but..."  
"But what?" Rocky asked, turning towards his friend.  
"But, Aisha chose to stay in Africa. She's happy there, and you should be supportive of that."  
"I am, really. I guess I'm just a lil selfish. Adam, we basically lost our best friend. Sure, she's alive, but we can't really talk to her because we aren't supposed to even know the exist of the other. I just wonder if I'll ever see her again."  
Adam's gaze fell to the floor. 'Rocky's right. We'll never be able to see her again, that is if she stays in Africa the rest of our lives. She probably will; the only thing tying her to Angel Grove is us, and we won't be here forever.' Adam sighed.  
"Well, I guess this is the way things end."  
"Yeah. I guess so."  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Aisha walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, where her mother was washing the dishes from dinner. Her father was in the dining room, reading the newspaper. She went in and sat next to the older man.  
"Hey dad," she greeted.  
"Hello Aisha. We got a call from the school today."  
"I'm not in trouble, am I?"  
"Have you done anything to be in trouble for?"  
"No."  
"Then I would say that you're not. But, there is some great news."  
"What?" Aisha responded as her mother entered the room.  
"Well," Mrs. Campbell started. "It seems that from all that hard work you've been doing as paid off. According to the principal, you can graduate as early as March."  
"March??!" Aisha exclaimed. "Who would've thunk that I would get out that early?"  
Her mother and father exchanged a glance. They both shrugged in response.  
  
"Huh? I thought only Billy would escape high school earlier than the rest of us. But me too? Amazing," Aisha said to herself as she lay on her bed.  
She picked up a teddy bear from the soft yellow bedspread and looked at it thoughtfully.  
"Hmmm. Maybe there's time after I graduate to drop a surprise visit on my old friends. What do you think, Teddy?"  
The inanimate bear just stared back at her. She laughed.  
"Yes, there is," Aisha said in a high voice, wiggling the bear as if it were talking. She laughed again.  
"Of course you'd know the answer. You're a bear." She paused. "Then again, so am I." 


	3. Chapter Three

Hoping For A Better Future  
Chapter Three  
  
Rocky walked into the Juice Bar, the place that had served as the Rangers' hangout ever since day one with Jason, Zack, and Trini. It had been a couple months since the Puppetman had attacked Angel Grove, but not everything was peaceful. The Machine Empire continued to attack, just as Zordon had predicted. And now they had an old member back on their roster. Jason Lee, the first Red Ranger, was back in action as the Gold Ranger, but only until Prince Trey of Triforia returned.  
The Blue Zeo Ranger sat down at his usual seat at the bar. He looked around, and caught his best friend beside him.  
"Hey Adam," he greeted glumly.  
"Hey Rock... You alright?"  
Rocky shrugged. "I don't know. Ever since we became Zeo Rangers, being a Power Ranger doesn't feel the same. It's as if we're not working for the same goal anymore. I always thought it was to protect the innocent. You know, like most heroes' missions. But sometimes I wonder who we're fighting for. Sometimes it's Earth; sometimes it's ourselves. You know what I'm talking about?"  
Adam nodded. "Yeah. I understand. But we just have to keep fighting for what we believe is right. Wether that's the world, or just Angel Grove; it doesn't matter. As long as we stay in this game for the things we believe in."  
"Yeah," Rocky answered, sighing a bit. Adam raised an eyebrow at his friend, still wondering why he seemed so down and out.  
"You love her, don't you?" he asked, turning back towards Rocky.  
"Love who?" Rocky responded, a little surprised at the question.  
Adam sighed exasperatedly. "Aisha! Who else?"  
"Me? Love Aisha? My friend, you might just have drunk a little too much of that mint milkshake."  
"Well if I have drunken too much of this, you haven't touched your blueberry ice cream that you ordered. Plus, it's melting, so you'd better hurry up."  
"I'm not hungry anyway," Rocky said, pushing the bowl away.  
"Are you sure you're not hungry? Maybe there's something else on your menu. Or someone, rather."  
Adam smiled at his friend. Then, he drank the last of his milkshake, and hopped off his stool. Rocky just watched his friend walk away.  
'Maybe he's right. I do care about Aisha alot. Maybe it's love. Yeah, I love her.' 


	4. Chapter Four

Hoping For A Better Future  
Chapter Four  
  
Aisha hummed happily to herself as she stepped off of the plane and onto solid ground. She was back in Angel Grove, intending on dropping in some old friends. Before she could even reach the baggage claim, she was greeted by a familiar face.  
"Jason?" she asked, a little mystified by his appearance.  
"Aisha? What are you doing here?" Jason replied.  
"I'm here to give the guys a little surprise visit. You?"  
"I'm picking up Kim. She's coming in from Florida. I've been in Angel Grove for about six months now."  
"Wow. I just graduated, so I'm in to celebrate too. What were you doing back in Angel Grove?"  
Jason sighed. "I was back in town to give the guys a surprise visit. While I was here, Prince Trey of Triforia chose me to be the Gold Ranger after he was injured. About a week ago he came back and regained his powers."  
"Gold Ranger, huh? That's a newbie for me. How come no one told me about all this?"  
"Well, I barely had enough time to tell Zack and Trini, I never got around to talking to Kim... I guess that's why you've just found out."  
"Yeah. International phone rates are a killer."  
"Don't I know it?"  
Suddenly, someone else walked up to the two former Power Rangers.  
"Hey guys," Kim said with a happy tone.  
"Kim!" Aisha exclaimed, hugging her friend.  
Kim returned the gesture. She then turned to Jason and hugged him as well.  
"Hey Jase. What have you been up to lately?" Kim asked.  
"Being a Ranger again."  
"What this time?" She raised an eyebrow at her old friend.  
"The Gold Ranger. I gave up the powers not too long ago though."  
"Oh. Poor thing. At least you got the chance to be a Ranger again. I was stuck in Florida, training for the Pan Globals."  
Jason and Aisha laughed in unison as Kim made a pouty face.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Rocky winced as he shifted in the hospital bed. The four remaing Zeo Rangers had left about a half an hour ago, and he had just sent Justin to the Power Chamber upon getting a message on his communicator from Zordon. He stared blankly at the stark white ceiling. He felt like he was letting down everyone because he wouldn't be healed until after the Tournament. Meaning the shelter wouldn't get the money it needed unless Tommy and Adam found someone else to fight. Suddenly, someone appeared in the room. Rocky strained to see who it was, but the person didn't move foward and further into the small hospital room.  
"Rocky?" a voice called.  
Something went off in Rocky's mind. He recognized that voice; it was more familiar to him than even his own mother's gentle voice.  
"Aisha?" he replied, again trying to sit up.  
Aisha went farther into the room and closed the door behind her. When she reached the bed, she frowned, seeing the discomfort in Rocky's eyes.  
"What are you doing here?" Rocky asked.  
"I came to pay a visit to you guys, and since everyone else is on a mission, I've been led here."  
"Thanks for coming. How's everything in Africa?"  
"Great, actually. I missed you though," Aisha replied, frowning again.  
"I missed you too."  
  
Aisha's eyes shot open from her dream. It took her a minute to orient herself; she realized she was in the hospital with Rocky. She looked down at her watch to check the time.  
"Twelve thirty," she muttered. 'Why do I keep having these dreams? And why is it, that everytime I have them, I always see Rocky? What is it trying to tell me?'  
The dreams were just flashes, really, but at the some point they become more than lifelike. This was at the point when she saw Rocky; he would be yelling at her, something she couldn't understand, but it was yelling nonetheless. The last thing he would always say was the last things Aisha would hear before would awaken.  
"Why did you leave me, Aisha? Just when I needed you the most..." the vision would say before disappearing into the depths of her mind.  
'Rocky wouldn't be that cruel though, would he?'  
Aisha got up and stood next to Rocky's bedside, watching his sleeping form. While her hand caressed a few strands of his hair, Aisha contemplated what the vision meant. Suddenly, tears sprang to her eyes as she realized just what it meant.  
'I left him when I stayed in Africa, just when he needed me at his side.'  
"But I'm here now, Rocky. I'm here now," she whispered, her thumb softly stroking his cheek. 


	5. Chapter Five

|Author's Note: Hello and welcome to Chapter Five! It's been a while since I've written, but now I'm back, and with aveangance. LOL. Anyway, this story takes a surprise twist... Read on to find out!|  
  
Hoping For A Better Future  
Chapter Five  
  
Tommy lifted Justin onto his shoulders as the crowd went wild. Angel Grove had just won the competition, meaning the shelter would stay open. While the others had been standing closer to the ring, Aisha had opted for sitting in the stands, watching from afar. After the spectators started to leave, Kim beckoned her down, not wanting to leave her best friend out of the joyous occasion. Aisha agreed and walked down to the floor near the ring. She smiled at Rocky as she passed him, giving a wave as well. Rocky responded warmly and fell in step with her. Together, they completed the walk to everyone else.  
Adam's eyes widened as he saw Aisha approach the ring. He jumped down and wrapped his old friend in a hug.  
"Aisha!" he exclaimed.  
"Hey Adam. What's up?" Aisha replied.  
"Oh not much. Newly-named Green Turbo Ranger, champion around these-here Angel Grove parts, you know... The usual."  
Aisha laughed. "Yup. Same old Adam; Shy, but a big ego nonetheless."  
"Oh yeah. Hey Rock, how ya feeling?"  
Rocky smiled euphorically. "Better than yesterday."  
Adam nodded, a bit curiousified by his friend's response. Wonder what that means, he thought.  
A few moments later, the rest of the crowd approached the three old friends. Tanya screamed and stood back, in shock at the sight before her.  
"Aisha?!" she asked.  
"Um, hello to you too, Tanya," Aisha answered in a baffled manner.  
"What are you doing here?!"  
"Just stopping in for a visit. You seem surprised."  
"Well, I mean... How are you doing?"  
Aisha and Rocky exchanged a glance. "Fine. Been graduated for almost three months now. I am doin' great, actually. You?"  
"Being a Ranger is cooler than I thought. By the way, yellow is still a great color on you. Should've never given up Rangering," Tanya responded.  
Rocky winced, sensing that the whole Zeo quest ordeal was still a sensitive subject for Aisha.  
"Well, some things just change. And you know, if I hadn't stayed, your village would've been screwed," Aisha replied, seemingly unaffected by Tanya's words.  
"True. Though, it's not necessarily my village now."  
Aisha shrugged, not having a response to Tanya's comment.  
"So, guys, who's up for shakes at the Juice Bar? My treat," Kim offered.  
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Rocky replied.  
"Yeah, so you can eat half of the menu in one shot," Adam laughed.  
Rocky shrugged it off.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Aisha laughed as Rocky wolfed down an order of nachos that he had ordered just a few minutes before.  
"Man, that sounds like an interesting adventure. Wish I could've been there," Rocky said, his mouth full of food.  
Kim nodded. "It was pretty great. Except for the whole being and captured and turned evil part."  
Aisha nodded and laughed. Suddenly, she got a sick, twisted feeling in her stomach, and it showed in her face. She let out a short gasp of pain, causing everyone to turn to her in surprise.  
"Aisha?" Rocky asked, concerned for his friend.  
Adam also held a look of worry. "Aisha, what's wrong?" he asked.  
Aisha unsteadily got up from her seat, attempting to walk to the bathroom as the contents rose to her throat. Kim, Kat, and Tanya exchanged worried glances. They nodded and got up to help the former Yellow Ranger.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Divatox laughed evilly as she watched the events of the Youth Center via her periscope.  
"That girl is obviously a weakness to the Rangers, especially the Green Ranger and his friend. Poisoning her drink was the perfect plan."  
"My plan too," Rygog whispered.  
"Shut up, Rygog! We must now focus our attention on the Rangers. We can destroy them quite easily with their minds distracted."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kim pulled Aisha's hair back as she upchucked into the toilet. Kat and Tanya cringed at the sound of regurgitation.   
"Are you okay?" Tanya asked as Aisha leaned against the divider between two of the stalls.  
"I'm not sure. Nor do I know why I just did that."  
"There's the possibility of pregnancy," Kat suggested quietly.  
The other three turned to her with surprised expressions.  
"Pregnancy?! I'm still a virgin, Kat!" Aisha exclaimed.  
"Sorry."  
Aisha shook her head. Then, Tanya and Kat's communicators went off.  
"What is it, Zordon?" Tanya asked.  
^TANYA, REPORT TO THE POWER CHAMBER IMMEADIATELY. BRING AISHA AND KIMBERLY AS WELL,^ Zordon said.  
"Yes, Zordon. Tanya out." 


	6. Chapter Six - Rocky's POV

Hoping For A Better Future  
Chapter Six  
Rocky  
  
Everyone in the Power Chamber stood silent as Aisha threw up for the second time since we'd followed Zordon's command to meet here. Adam had brought her trash can, so she wouldn't be vomiting on the floor. Alpha wouldn't be exactly happy with that.  
"Zordon, is there any reason that Aisha is suddenly sick?" I asked, turning towards the one who had been my mentor for the past three years.  
"IT COULD BE THAT DIVATOX HAS MANAGED TO POISON HER, SEEING THAT SHE IS A WEAKNESS TO THE TEAM."  
"A weakness?" Kim asked.  
"YES. SINCE SHE IS A FORMER RANGER, AND A GREAT FRIEND AND ALLY TO YOU ALL, THAT WOULD BE A WEAKNESS. I AM AFRAID DIVATOX SAW THAT BEFORE WE COULD COMPREHEND IT."  
I exchanged a glance with Adam, then looked at Aisha. A pang of guilt hit me in the stomach. Why didn't Divatox poison me? Why Aisha? I sighed and a tear escaped my eye. I didn't even bother to wipe it away.  
Suddenly, a streak of blue appeared in the Power Chamber. Before it faded, I instinctively knew that it was Justin. I was right.  
"Zordon, what's going on?" he asked. "Why did you call me here? Did Divatox attack Angel Grove?"  
"IN A SENSE, SHE DID."  
"Huh?" he asked, confused.  
Then, Aisha bent over the trash can and began vomiting again. The guilt I had felt earlier came back, but this time it didn't fade. Justin turned around and looked at Aisha upon hearing her throwing up.  
"Who is she?" he asked.  
"THAT IS AISHA CAMPBELL. THE SECOND YELLOW RANGER, TANYA'S PREDECESSOR."  
"There was a Yellow Ranger before Tanya? Wow. I was under the impression that Tanya was the only Yellow Ranger."  
Kim sighed. "Well, if there was a Pink Ranger before Kat, don't you think that there could be a Yellow Ranger before Tanya?"  
Justin rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I never really thought about it."  
I turned back to Zordon. "Zordon, is there anything we could do to help Aisha?"  
"I AM AFRAID NOT, ROCKY. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING HER TO BE SICK, THEREFORE WE CANNOT MAKE AN ANTIDOTE."  
"Oh."  
Before anyone else could say anything, the alarms of the Power Chamber began screeching.  
"Ay-yi-yi!" Alpha cried.  
"What is it?" Tommy asked.  
"IT SEEMS DIVATOX HAS SENT PIRANHATRONS TO THE PARK AND THEY ARE ATTACKING INNOCENT PEOPLE."  
"We're on it, Zordon," Tommy replied.  
Before Tommy could say, "Shift into Turbo," I saw Aisha's eyes close, and then her body go limp.  
"Aisha!" I cried, running to her. Adam and Kim were on my heels.  
I put her in my arms and tried to fight back the tears that had gathered. I hoped with everything in me that she was alright.  
"Zordon, she unconscious," Tanya said.  
"No shit," I muttered.  
Adam gave me a strange look, but I shrugged it off.  
"RANGERS, GO TO THE PARK AND DEFEAT THE PIRANHATRONS. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT AISHA, SHE IS IN GOOD CARE HERE."  
"Right, Zordon," Tommy answered. "Shift into Turbo!"  
The other four Turbo Rangers stepped back and posed for the morphing sequences.  
"Mountain Blaster Turbo Power!"  
"Desert Thunder Turbo Power!"  
"Dune Star Turbo Power!"  
"Wind Chaser Turbo Power!"  
"Red Lightning Turbo Power!"  
I winced upon hearing Justin call upon the Mountain Blaster's Powers. After everyone was morphed, they teleported out to the park. Kim and I exchanged a glance and she went to watch the battle from the Viewing Globe. 


	7. Chapter Seven - Changing P.O.V's

|Author's Note: Oooh, a continuation! I've decided to keep this in Rocky's P.O.V. at the beginning, and then it changes. You're gonna have to guess, cause I'm not telling! *sticks out tongue.* LOL. Okay, I'll give you a hint... This person is in love with someone whose signature color is red. Now that I've given you the clue, read on to Chapter Seven!|  
  
Hoping For A Better Future  
Chapter Seven  
Rocky  
  
The battle raged on in the outside world as Kim and I remained in the Power Chamber. The only sound was Alpha working away at a console and the sounds of the battle from the Viewing Globe. The only thing I saw was Aisha, with her eyes closed and her breathing scarce.  
"Zordon, can we at least put Aisha in the medic bay? Where she might be a bit safer?" I asked, never turning away from the form in my arms.  
"IT WOULD BE WISE."  
"Right."  
I stood up and carried Aisha into the medic bay and laid her down on one of the beds.  
"Everything's going to be alright, I promise," I whispered, taking one of her hands in mine.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I can't believe you," Rocky said harshly, his arms folded across his chest.  
"Rocky, what are you talking about?" I asked.  
"You know exactly what I'm talking about! The Zeo Quest! You let that bitch Tanya take your place!"  
I winced. "If I hadn't stayed, the people in that village would've died! And there's a possibility that I might've not even been born! Rocky, my ancestors are from that village!"  
"So, you'd put a village above the man you love?"  
It wasn't Rocky who had asked that question. It was Kim. Her eyes glowed with red; a red that I could only identify as evil.  
"I never really thought about it that way..." I answered in a whisper.  
"That's just the thing about you, Aisha. You never think about things before you do them. Actually, it was a good thing that you stayed in Africa. Tanya made a much better Ranger than you ever did," someone else said from behind me.  
I turned to see Tommy, whom was smiling as evilly as he had spoken. He walked over to Kim and exchanged a glance with his ex-girlfriend.  
"You guys can't mean any of this," I said quietly, untrusting to bring my own voice to normal speaking level.  
"Oh, we mean all of it, trust me," a new voice said.  
I turned again to see Trini. She also spoke in a harsh tone.  
"You see, Aisha, when I gave up my duties as the Yellow Ranger to you, I thought the Power was in good hands. But now I know that I was wrong." Trini grinned evilly. "Very wrong."  
I felt my knees weaken from all the hateful things I heard them, the very ones whom I thought were my friends, say.  
"Everything's going to be alright, I promise," a gentle voice said suddenly.  
I looked to Rocky. His face was emotionless, but it seemed to be emotionless in a good way.  
"Rocky?" I asked.  
His face remained stony, but his eyes gave way to a little emotion; one that I couldn't quite read. I tried to walk over to him, but the sick feeling in my stomach that I had felt earlier came back, causing me to fall to my knees. I heard the others laughing maniacally, but there was one laugh I didn't hear. I looked up at Rocky; his face wasn't emotionless anymore. Instead, it revealed concern and hurt at the same time. I tried to move over to him, but I couldn't even crawl. The laughs of Trini, Tommy, and Kim only intensified. I covered my ears in attempt to block out the sounds. A second later, a pair of arms wrapped around me and the laughing grew fainter. I looked up and saw Rocky, tears running down his cheeks and sorrow filling his eyes.  
"Rocky, I'm so sorry, but I felt I had to stay..." I pleaded.  
"Shh; it's okay. You have no reason to be sorry," he replied gently, still holding me close.  
"But, I left you, just when you needed me."  
Rocky smiled. "I may have needed you, but you had a village to save. They needed you more than I did."  
Then, the scene around me faded into darkness, Rocky included. But I didn't feel alone. Strangely, I still felt Rocky's arms holding me. 


End file.
